Velorama in Nijmegen gives particular attention to bicycles from before 1900. Its collection follows the changing shapes of early cycles, high-wheelers and later machines, while lamps, accessories and a period workshop broaden the story. The result invites visitors to look beyond a bicycle’s frame and wheels.
The bicycle-tax display adds an everyday social history. Cor de Jong’s collection brings together metal tax plates, related objects and documentation. The plates belong to the Dutch tax system introduced in 1924 and abolished in 1941: small objects that connect cycling with administration and household expenditure.
Books preserve another part of this culture. The museum archive includes the Bibliotheek Van Agt, named for former Dutch prime minister and cycling enthusiast Dries van Agt. Access to the archive is by appointment, giving this material a different role from objects encountered in the exhibition galleries.
One useful distinction concerns the Gazelle archive: it has moved from Velorama to Gazelle’s Experience Center and Museum in Dieren. Anyone planning research should therefore confirm the right destination. For a museum trip, check current visitor arrangements directly before travelling.